Star Fox: Second in command
by Lady-Frenzy
Summary: The jaded Falco gathers his memories of the past few years. He arrives to the conclusion that Fox’s fame has sent him into the shadows permanently. So when Captain Fox suddenly goes missing, the embittered Falcon is a prime suspect for murder...
1. Star Fox: Second in command

Chapter 1: Back to school  
  
"And the copper wires of the neo-dispatcher fit riiight here, and- Falco! Er, I mean Mr. Lombardi, are you paying attention?"  
  
"Nope," the blue falcon replied, having pulled the copper wire around his feathery finger several time to cut off his circulation.   
  
The fish-eyed instructor frowned, but continued with the demonstration. He settled the black casing for the new transport system on to the laboratory's center table. Normally this had been an operating room, but for today it was to be used as a temporary electronics classroom. The teacher mumbled something then flicked the power switch on his electronic contraption. Nothing happened. He tried again, his flabby lips twitching nervously, but to no avail.  
  
Falco raised his hand, much to the discontent of his teacher.  
  
"What is it, Mr. Lombardi?" the fishy professor frowned.  
  
Falco uncoiled the copper wire from around his numb finger and pointed to the base of the box. He raised the one in front of him for all to see.  
  
"You're wires are crossed here," he pointed to the first of a series of wire clamps, "here," he tapped on the seventh outlet in the third row and," he couldn't help but smile smugly at this, "you haven't inserted the battery yet."  
  
The instructor blinked his eyes in bewilderment. He flipped his machine around and sure enough, the battery was missing. The cross wires he wasn't certain of though. "My word..."  
  
Falco stood up and with a display of vain showmanship, took a bow while the class applauded.  
  
Falco leaned back in his chair, once again twisting the copper wire around his other finger. He hated these mandatory electronics update courses. He could've built a spaceship from scratch if he had wanted to, but he had better things to do, like bounty hunting. Cutting off the blood flow from his fingers was all that he could do to keep himself awake in a room that reeked of chemical cleaner and formaldehyde. Obviously the planet Cornaria had been cutting back on educational funds these past few years, diverting all profits to the reconstruction of those cities demolished by combat.   
  
He relaxed his shoulders and closed his sharp eyes for just a moment. Three years had passed since the war of the Lylat system, three years of freedom from the sadistic planet Venom. It was the war that had made him famous, or at least semi-famous. Fox was always a first class celebrity at award ceremonies and all the televised interviews. The media starved after Fox Mcloud, going so far a to nickname him the platinum soldier of fortune. Falco and the other crewmembers, Slippy and Peppy had rarely been addressed upon, and were usually just referred to as the crew. Platinum... How could Falco compete with something so high? Sure he was intelligent and damn good looking, but he didn't have that status; A captain's status. He glanced over at Fox, who was rigidly sitting in his plastic seat, his pencil flying quickly across his page as usual. His yellow eyes shifted from the instructor, to his sheet of paper, then back again. What wasn't there to like about Fox? He's charming, polite, attentive and above all, a well respected leader.  
  
Falco pulled himself from the sticky chair and clicked his knapsack on to his left shoulder.  
  
The instructor once again peered in his direction. "Mr. Lombardi, are you leaving so soon?"  
  
"Not that I don't love the smell of lingering corpses, but I think I'll go have a breath of unprocessed air and snack before break time."   
  
He caught Fox's glare of disapproval from the corner of his eye. An odd sensation of frivolous contentment danced upon him. No, he wasn't Fox; He was better, and he would prove his worth. 


	2. Star Fox: Second in command, part deux

Chapter 2: Tempestuous  
  
A fine layer of ice had begun to form around the bench near the smoking area, where Falco Lombardi was perched with a cigarette in hand. The doors to the medical research facility flew open as Peppy and Fox strolled from the heated reception area, into the chilly parking lot. Slippy followed behind them, bouncing like a crate stuffed with live fireworks.  
  
"... And they showed us the core of a new prototype space shuttle, and they let us handle the new remote pilot system for the ship, and..."  
  
"Did they teach you how to punctuate once in a while?" Grumbled Peppy, his rabbit ears twitching from the cold.  
  
Fox set his sights on Falco, who had just flicked his filter to the ground. He reached into his pocket and drew a pack of premium light cigarettes, sliding one from the package with his beak.  
  
The captain and Peppy stood in front of the perched Falcon, whilst Slippy skipped along the distant sidewalk, signing "There once was a crew, a crew named Star fox".  
  
Foxed rubbed his cold nose. "Light brand today? Killing yourself at a slower pace doesn't mean quitting."  
  
The blue bird smiled, shifting the cigarette to the corner of his beak. "To each, his own."  
  
Fox crossed his arms, as he always did before saying something serious. "By the way, nice of you to behave like a jerk in front of Dr. Bass. You realize that he doesn't get paid to have you heckle him every session."  
  
Falco chuckled at this and blew a puff of smoke into the wind.  
  
"The guy is hopeless, I mean, he had his lab coat on inside out..."  
  
"I don't care if he came to class wearing a bra and panties," shouted the captain sternly.  
  
"You think about bras and panties a lot, Fox?" Falco smiled creepily.  
  
It was well known among the entire crew that Fox had not dated since his ultimate rise to fame three years earlier.   
  
Fox blushed. "I do not! You're being childish."  
  
"Am I? Did you know that lack of, umm, contact with the ladies can lead to aggressive behavior?"  
  
Fox shifted his weight. "I am not angry and that's untrue!"  
  
Peppy piped, "Well actually Fox, medical research has shown..."  
  
Fox covered his ears and shouted, "I do not need advice about girls! None from my senior officer, and none from my mouthy first officer!"  
  
"Tempestuous little kit," muttered Falco under his breath.  
  
**  
  
Falco slammed his foot on the accelerator of his green spots car, skidding along the icy path to the perimeter fence.  
  
"Do you mind slowing down, a car accident is not an ideal way for me to die."  
  
"Aye, aye Cap'n." Falco let go of the steering wheel and lit his cigarette.   
  
The car slipped off the paved road, into some wild terrain. Fox clutched his seat and squeezed his eyes shut. The blue bird quickly regained control of the car and eased it back on to the road.  
  
"Are you insane?! If not for our well being, the car's?"  
  
"Aww, that's right, you have an interview with what is it, Interstellar news, correct?"  
  
"... Well yes."  
  
"And it would be a shame if any harm came to you before that time, right?"  
  
"What are you getting at?"  
  
Falco opened the window and flicked his cigarette butt outside along the speeding ash vault. "Oh, nothing really."  
  
They arrive upon the vehicle lineup to exit the facility.  
  
"Damnit," spat Falco, "I'm going to be late joining Kat at the club!"  
  
"You're always late," remarked the bright eyed Fox, not looking up from his papers.  
  
Falco glanced over at his seatmate. "Hey, I never took notes. Can I see yours?"  
  
"I don't know, can you?" He slid his notes back into its respectable folder.  
  
"Come on..."  
  
"No," he replied, blushing slightly.  
  
Falco undid his seatbelt and wrestled Fox for the papers. Being much more athletic, the bird easily wrestled the file from his captain.  
  
"Don't!" cried Fox, reaching out as Falco opened the folder. Instead of class notes however, he found a series of pencil drawing in the folder, all of a particular tiger girl. Some were of her posing in a variety of skimpy dresses.  
  
"A cat?!" he chuckled. "Isn't she the gal who sits in front of you? I warn you though, cats can get a little rough, if you know what I mean..."  
  
"I'm not asking her out. She's just..." Fox lowered his head in embarrassment.  
  
Falco eased back into his seat and drove forward.  
  
"Come on Fox, how long has it been? You're the captain of a famous bounty hunting ship."  
  
"That's not just anybody," he looked up severely, "that's Dr. Licorice Tigs. She's a brilliant quantum physicist, a champion track and field runner and," Fox's look became very soft, "she smells like spearmint and white lilacs."  
  
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I'll add more when I can figure out where this chapter is going...  
  
-------  
  
Lady_Frenzy 


End file.
